


Stay Alive Out There

by AlpineFresh



Category: Minecraft (Video Game), Video Blogging RPF
Genre: Alternatively Titled "Stay alive out there (I don't need another dead son)", Angst, Angst with a Happy Ending, Exile, Fluff, Gen, Hurt/Comfort, Not a Sick-Fic, Post-Exile, Tommy needs to stop getting his shoes wet, Villain Clay | Dream (Video Blogging RPF), and by that I mean smp Dream is kinda not nice, but Tommy does get sick, some canon divergence
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-07
Updated: 2020-12-07
Packaged: 2021-03-09 22:27:19
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,954
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27933841
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AlpineFresh/pseuds/AlpineFresh
Summary: Tubbo straightened his tie, looking Tommy dead in the eye. "This was your own damn fault, and you know it. You've taken the shovel and dug yourself a grave with your inability to take responsibility and put something other than yourself first.""Tommy, I hereby exile you from the lands of L'Manberg. Order effective immediately."...Tommy didn't want to go anywhere near Techno, but...But he really didn't want to be alone.
Comments: 17
Kudos: 375





	Stay Alive Out There

**Author's Note:**

> Awww, yeah! Guess who's back you beautiful people?
> 
> That's right, I've managed to work past my writer's block and wrote this fic in a few days :D
> 
> TW: Kind of vaguely suicidal thoughts at some bits.

"I'll help you, no matter what happens."

\---

Tommy watched Ranboo flip through the pages of his journal, a small frown on his face.

"I'm sorry- I don't-" Ranboo looked up from the book, not quite making eye contact with Tommy, "-I don't know who you are, there’s no mention of anyone named Tommy in here. And I mean, surely I would have written that down… Right?"

\---

"Tommy, you've already fucked yourself over, man- I'm sorry, but there's nothing else I can do." Tubbo’s hand dropped from Tommy’s shoulder, flashing a tense smile before turning to face the small crowd.

Tommy's heart was pounding in his ears, not really hearing as Tubbo began to speak. He felt fucking wired, muscles tense and already getting ready to bolt. Unshakable memories of his previous exile clinging to him like some kind of shitty parasite.

"This is- this is fucking _bullshit_ and you know it Tubbo! You're not really going to exile me because that green bastard-"

Tommy nearly flinched at the sheer intensity of Tubbo’s glare. "Shut up, Tommy. I've said this before, and I'll say it again."

Tubbo straightened his tie, looking Tommy dead in the eye. "This was your own damn fault. You've taken the shovel and dug yourself a grave with your inability to take responsibility and put something other than yourself first."

The young president took one step forward and Tommy’s foot shifted back ever so slightly. 

"You're so incredibly _selfish._ All you've ever cared about were those _stupid discs_ \- when you were _supposed_ to be helping me rebuild L'Manberg as vice president! Now you've gone and made an enemy of Dream and put everyone in danger- _again._ Undermining my authority and ignoring my wishes the entire time," Tubbo seethed, fists clenched and shaking at his side. 

Tubbo seemed to find himself again, straightening back up and taking a deep breath. The anger drained from his expression, leaving only the exhaustion of a kid who had been thrown into one of the most stressful roles imaginable.

“Tommy Innit… For the sake of this country and for all of the people who reside here, I-" Tubbo swallowed thickly, "-I, the president, hereby exile you from L'Manberg. You will no longer be welcome on this great nation's grounds. This order is effective immediately," Tubbo declared.

Dream was standing at the back of the crowd, armor still on despite L’Manberg's rules. A wide grin was on the bastard's face, the green fuck always knew he'd get his way in the end.

"Tommy. I believe you should be leaving now?" Dream pointed out, hand subtly brushing against the hilt of his axe.

"I mean, you're exiled from Man- _L_ 'Manberg now after all," The masked man mocked.

Tommy clenched his jaw, _"Stupid fucking asshole,"_ he muttered as he took a few slow steps back, eyes locked warily on Dream.

The man didn't seem to plan on charging after him just yet. Tommy’s gaze flicked to Tubbo, whose back was pointedly turned- and then to Ranboo, who seemed conflicted as he looked between the now exiled teen and the open book in his hands.

He should get out of here before Dream decided to change his mind about immediate pursuit.

Tommy turned on his heel, stubbornly ignoring the stinging in his eyes as he fled the scene.

\---

"You really fucked it up this time, huh mate?"

Phil had found Tommy inside of Pogtopia, abandoned and filled with buttons as it was. The teen had been sitting in a dark corner, wrapped up in Wilbur's old coat and trembling.

Phil sat down beside Tommy with a quiet sigh, shoulder brushing against his son's. "I can't leave this place just yet, but I also can't leave you like this."

Tommy glared at Phil, eyes glistening with unshed tears that hurt him deep in his core to witness.

He fished a compass out of his pocket and pressed it into Tommy’s hands. “Techno should be at his base about a day and a half from here by boat," Phil explained, quietly hoping the boy was actually listening.

The teen’s hands tightened around the compass, only making the shaking more obvious. “Why would I want to go see that _dickhead?_ He’s just a stupid fucking American waiting to betray me again at the first chance he gets,” he scoffed bitterly.

Phil suppressed a sigh, “Techno never betrayed you, he said from the beginning that-”

Tommy leapt to his feet with bared teeth, tossing the compass to the ground with a clatter. “ _Shut up!_ I don’t care- he still turned against us and summoned withers, he nearly _killed Tubbo!”_

The angry shouts echoed through the ravine, Tommy wasn’t done quite yet though. The teen made direct eye-contact with Phil, bottom lip quivering as he spoke up again. “And _you,_ ” Tommy’s voice cracked, “You _killed_ Wilbur- and now he’s a _fucking ghost!_ A ghost that remembers almost _nothing_ about who he used to be.”

Phil bit the inside of his cheek, slowly picking himself up off the ground, taking the compass with him. "I never wanted to kill him…” There was a long pause before he continued.

“But I understand if you don’t want to see me,” _even if it hurts,_ “just- the compass will be right here if you change your mind.” Phil set the compass down in a nearby nook in the rock walls.

“Oh, just fuck off already,” Tommy growled, tugging at his coat and pulling it tighter around himself.

“Just stay alive out there, okay Tommy?” _I don’t need another dead son._

\---

Wind howled just beyond the closed door at the exit of the ravine, Tommy was staring indecisively down at the compass in hand, a small crack running through the glass from when he threw it earlier.

He didn’t want to see Techno- didn’t want the smug bastard to see him begging for help and say _‘I told you so’._

But he also didn’t want to be all alone.

_No-_ this was all _bullshit-_ some kind of mistake. There was no way Tubbo actually _exiled_ him, right? It was just some sick joke- a ploy to throw off Dream and gain the upper hand. Any second now his communicator would buzz with the telltale sign of a new message being sent to him.

Tubbo would apologize and then they’d go sit on the bench together- they’d devise a master plan to get Tommy’s discs back and then they’d both be happy again!

He waited with baited breath, only for a disappointing amount of nothing happening.

The compass was heavy in his hands, the little needle pointing faithfully in the direction of Techno’s new home.

Tommy jumped, shoving the compass into Wilbur’s old coat’s pocket as the door was thrown open without warning. 

There stood Dream in his stupid white mask, hair tousled and blown to the side by the wind. “I thought I’d find you here,” he mused with a soft chuckle.

“What do you want, bitch?” Tommy growled, hands shoved firmly in his pockets.

Dream didn’t bother entering the cramped room, instead leaning casually against the doorframe with a cheshire grin. “What? I can’t come visit a friend?” He asked cheekily.

_Friend?_ Yeah right, Dream could never be someone he considered a friend. His only friend is- His only friend was Tubbo.

“We are _not_ friends. I _fucking hate_ you.” And Tommy meant that wholeheartedly.

The smile on Dream’s face didn’t falter, if anything, it just got more patronizing as the man tilted his head to the side. “Oh come on now, you don’t mean that. I just wanted to check on you, make sure you’re not doing anything you aren’t supposed to.”

_What a fucking prick,_ Tommy scoffed internally. “Well, as you can probably tell, I’m nowhere near L’Manberg or the lands of Dream smp- so you can fuck off now, bitch.” Tommy glared.

“Actually-” Dream clapped his hands together and stood up tall, “-I seem to recall there being a convenient tunnel leading all the way back to L’Manberg from here. Now, I don’t know about you, but an exile seems pretty pointless if we just let you mosey on back whenever you feel like it, wouldn’t you agree?” The masked man pointed out, voice still deceptively warm and friendly despite the implications.

Tommy tensed involuntarily as his eyes drifted to the shimmering netherite axe at the bastard’s hip. “So what do you propose then? Huh, _wise guy?”_ He questioned with open hostility as a means to mask his unease.

Dream was entirely undaunted by his tone, seemed to smile a little wider if anything. “I propose…” He tapped his finger against his chin, as if he didn’t already plan out every word, “We take a little trip, bring you out to a remote island- a permanent vacation home, if you will,” He suggested.

Well, suggested is certainly a way of putting it- _decided_ is probably more accurate. “And if I say no?” Tommy edged.

Dream’s hand went to the holster of his axe, “Then I’ll have to kill you, right here, right now.” 

Tommy swore his heart stopped at the gesture, cold sweat gathering on his brow. “Alright- no need to get hasty now, Dream,” he said with a nervous laughter, raising his hands up defensively.

“Come along now, we’re wasting daylight,” Dream ordered, waving for Tommy to follow him out of the cave.

The teen swallowed thickly, tightly clutching the compass in his pocket as he followed the masked man out into the open.

\---

It was dark by the time Dream decided they had gone out far enough, a nearly full moon bathing the new land in silver light.

Tommy was quick to jump out of the boat, not caring about the fact that he had stepped right into ankle-high waters that soaked through his shoes. He was sick of being in such close proximity to that self-centered prick.

He did his best to shake off the excess water as he made it to shore, sand clumping together and sticking to his shoes.

“Alright, you’ve finally done it Dream- I’m out in the _middle_ of nowhere!” Tommy opened his arms in a wide gesture towards the surrounding area, completely void of human influence.

He didn’t know what he was expecting Dream to do, but part of him couldn’t help but be surprised when the man brought the boat right up to the shoreline and stepped out. 

Dream extended his hand, palm up, towards Tommy, looking as though he expected something. “Hand me your communicator.”

Tommy recoiled back, “What? You can’t take away my fucking comm! It’s _mine!”_

“Hand it over, Tommy,” Dream’s tone was a warning, like a parent counting to three.

_No, please, you can’t take this away- It’s my only connection to my friends, please don’t take it away from me- I don’t want to be alone!_ Tommy stumbled back, gripping at Wilbur’s old coat, where the comm in question was tucked away in a breast pocket ( _t_ _he same place Wilbur used to keep his_ ). “No, you can’t have it,” Tommy’s voice wavered.

His heart was pounding as Dream stepped forward with a disappointed sigh. Tommy’s wrist was taken in a painful grip and the communicator was stolen from out of his pocket. 

Dream tossed the boy carelessly to the ground before backing up and dropping the comm, stomping down on the small device with enough force to crumple the metal.

Tommy felt a bit of him shatter with the comm, his only method of communication taken away from him by Dream, just like everything else.

_This can’t be happening, it’s all just a bad dream- a mistake._ He caught himself thinking for what felt like the twentieth time that night.

Well, if all of this was a nightmare, it didn’t seem to be one he’d be waking up from anytime soon. Not even as he watched Dream leave back for the main continent, or when he had to create a dirt hut to hide away from the mobs that roamed in the cover of night.

\---

It had… It had been at least a few days since Tommy got exiled. His house (if you could even call it that), had been upgraded into a shoddy little tent that did little to block out the cold winds that would come in from whichever direction was opposite of the home he could no longer return to.

He still had the compass Phil gave him, it sat in a chest, mocking him every time he saw it’s cracked surface.

He didn’t want to see Techno. He didn’t want to see that _traitor._

But he didn’t want to be alone... 

He was so incredibly tired of being alone. He missed Wilbur, he missed Ranboo… He missed _Tubbo._

Tommy dug his fingers into Wilbur’s old coat, burying his nose into the fabric and trying to remember better times.

It was hard to find, buried under the painful scent of gunpowder and iron, but the familiar smell of cedar and campfire smoke still clung to the coat. The very same that had followed Wilbur around wherever the man went. The thing that would flood Tommy’s senses whenever he woke up from a nightmare, brother already humming softly as he carded fingers through short blond hair.

Sitting there, wrapped in Wil’s old coat, he could almost pretend everything was fine again. Could almost imagine the gentle arms holding him close, both of them still alive and well.

Maybe it wouldn’t be so bad to stay that way forever, curled up in a tent, embraced by his daydreams. Pretending he wasn’t really left behind and abandoned without a second thought by the only person alive he still cared about ( ~~ _that wasn’t true, he still cared about his family_~~ ).

He should just give up, what was the point in trying if there was no one here by his side?

A jolt of something akin to panic ran through Tommy, grip tightening. “No… _No_ , _I_ _refuse-_ I won’t give up. I _can’t_ give up,” he muttered stubbornly, staggering slowly to his feet through the protesting of weakened muscles and ache of an empty stomach.

He stumbled over to the half empty chest in the corner of his tent, opening it with shaky hands.

The compass gleamed in the bit of sunlight that managed to bleed through the wool cloth of his tent. Shining in a compelling plea to be taken out and put to use for the first time since it had been gifted to him.

Tommy snatched it out of the chest before moving to shuffle out of the tent, squinting in the harsh light.

The little red needle was pointing in the same direction the cool winds came from.

Tommy was sick of lying around doing nothing, he was tired of having no one to talk to or share things with. He was going to go find Techno, even if it killed him.

( _ ~~that was supposed to be a bad thing… So why was part of him hoping so strongly to keel over before he could reach Techno?~~ _)

\---

Tommy probably should have tried to find something, anything really, to eat before he left.

Trudging through deep snow in running shoes and shorts, with the only real provider of warmth being the tattered old coat that hung off his thin frame was made doubly as hard by the hunger shakes and his body’s own inability to heat itself without energy.

And yet, despite his trembling body and his scattered, foggy mind, he couldn’t find it in himself to give up just yet.

He had already gone this far, he wasn’t about to give up now. As long as his legs still worked, he would continue to move. 

Because of all the things Tommy may be, a quitter wasn’t one of them.

So he forged onward, eyes narrowed and watering against the sheer cold. 

Surely he had to be getting close by this point, he wasn't sure if he'd still have fingers and toes after all this if he didn't die first.

Stop with that pessimistic thinking, it had never done him any good.

He was Tommy Innit, and Tommy Innit was a big man who never felt pain and was always in the right.

_But was he really in the right? His best friend exiled him because Dream wanted him to. If Tubbo really wanted to keep Tommy around- he would have put up more of a fight, wouldn't he? What did he do to make Tubbo hate him?_

Tommy stubbornly shook off the thoughts. No- he was never wrong, Tubbo had made the mistake, not him.

_Oh-_

His legs gave out underneath him, sending Tommy face first into the snow. Every bit of skin that made contact with it felt tingly and weird- but in a painful way. Somehow both numb and like dozens of jagged little needles poking into him.

Tommy wasn't a quitter- he swore he wasn't a quitter…

But he just couldn't bring himself to move. Every time he tried to will his limbs into move again, they simply twitched uselessly for a second before falling completely limp.

He was so _cold..._

Maybe… Maybe he could just stay like that for a little while longer. Just close his eyes for a minute or two to regain some strength.

Just a few minutes.

\---

Tommy felt like he was on fire without any of the usual pain involved.

The only kind of solace to the heat was something cool and damp draped over his eyes.

His own breathing was coming out labored and heavy, chest burning with the underlying need to cough.

Wait- where even was he? What was he doing before? 

He was trying to… to find someone, right? But who was it?

Tommy braced himself before pushing himself into a sitting position. Even just sitting up hit him with a disorienting wave of dizziness, getting a quiet groan from the teen. 

He blinked open bleary eyes, distractedly noting the damp cloth that had fallen into his lap.

His eyes were quickly drawn towards a crackling fireplace made of clay and stone.

"Ah, you're finally awake."

It took Tommy a few seconds to fully process the information, turning his head in quiet confusion.

There was Techno, standing by a ladder in all his treacherous glory, if a little blurry.

Tommy frowned at the man, squinting as he tried to focus.

“Where the fuck am I?" Tommy rasped, struggling to hold back a cough.

Techno walked over to his side and pushed the teen back down into his cot, "You’re at my house," he said as he placed the cloth back over Tommy's forehead.

“Go back to sleep, we can speak in the morning." Techno pulled a blanket back up to Tommy's chin, letting his hand rest on the teen’s chest as a comforting weight.

Tommy felt his eyes droop back closed, eyelids much too heavy to keep open any longer.

\---

The next few days passed in a messy blur, Tommy wasn't sure what actually happened and what was a fever induced dream.

He almost thought Tubbo came to visit him last night, but one look at Techno’s expression told him otherwise.

He still wasn't better yet, but most of his spacey-ness had worn off. And now he was stuck in a small space with _Technoblade_ as his only company.

It was weird. Because on one hand, Tommy was relieved that he wasn't alone anymore. On the other- he couldn't shake the burning hatred and frustration every time he saw the man's face.

It made him want to stab shit- but he didn't have the fucking energy to do that ( _no, it wasn't because he was scared of Techno kicking him out- that would be stupid_ ).

"So-" Techno sat down on the chair beside Tommy's cot, "- now that you're properly coherent again, mind tellin' me why I found you unconscious in the snow a week ago?"

"A _week?!"_ Tommy exclaimed before he could stop himself, breaking into a fit of coughing.

He didn't realize it had been a full week, he was sure it was only two or three _days!_

Techno waited patiently for him to catch his breath, watching intently.

Tommy rubbed at his jaw and cleared his throat awkwardly, "Phil gave me a compass leading here, so…" He looked to the side as he trailed off.

“I already knew about that part, I’m asking why you thought it was a good idea to walk through _miles_ of snow in that _abysmal_ outfit. Were you even thinking?” Techno pinched the bridge of his nose with an exasperated sigh.

Tommy balled his fists with a fierce stab of irritation and frustration. “I was thinking just fine,” he snapped.

Techno rolled his eyes, “Obviously not, do you have any idea how _lucky_ you are to be alive right now? I thought you were already _dead_ when I found you unconscious and malnourished in the snow.”

Tommy shied away from the older, Techno sounded fucking pissed now.

At the same time as Tommy was worried about Techno being upset, he himself was growing more and more agitated by the second. Techno didn’t understand, Techno never understood him.

He threw the thin blanket off of him and slid out of the cot, bare feet landing on softwood flooring. “Piss off- I _fucking hate_ you, Techno. This is all _your_ fault- I never should have asked for your help in the first place,” Tommy snarled, stomping over to the coat rack and yanking Wilbur’s old coat over his shoulders.

Tommy looked over his shoulder at Techno as he put his shoes on, “And you know what Techno? Maybe I never wanted to be found in the first place.” He slammed the door forcefully behind him.

He didn’t bother looking back as he stormed off in a random direction.

The cold air grated at his already raw throat, the faint tickle of a cough in the back of his throat quickly growing stronger until he couldn’t resist it anymore.

Tommy fell into another violent fit of coughing, leaning against one of the few spruce trees to stop himself from ending up face first in the snow for the second time.

His chest was burning as he practically coughed his lungs out. _Fucking hell, it might have been a mistake to run out like that._

His legs were wobbling underneath him, but he could still stand. If you ignored the fact that he had to lean most of his weight into the tree in order to stay ( _mostly_ ) upright, that is.

How long had he been out for? Only ten minutes at most he guessed. 

Was Techno worried about him? Or maybe he would be happy to finally have Tommy off his hands. The man had been taking care of him all week, after all.

Tommy frowned, wrapping his arms tightly around his churning stomach. Was everyone really better off without him? What if they were all right when they said Tommy was the problem?

He wondered if Tubbo was happier now… Was Tubbo laughing and smiling everyday with the rest of L’Manberg now that Tommy wasn’t there?

Would Techno be happier if Tommy didn’t come back?

Maybe he would… But at the same time…

Tommy sighed heavily at the uncomfortable twisting in his gut that didn’t come from the fever.

He turned back, shoving his hand into the pocket where the cracked compass was held, brushing his thumb over the now familiar surface.

He was dragging his feet all the way back to Techno’s house with dread pooling in his stomach. He didn’t want to face Techno again so soon after his impulsive outburst.

The house looked just as cozy on the outside as it did on the inside. Techno’s horse, Carl, if he remembered correctly, was watching Tommy intently from his pen.

Tommy hesitated at the bottom of the stairs leading to the house door. He was sure Techno could wait a little bit longer for Tommy to come in.

With one last glance towards the door, Tommy made his way over to the fenced in area and reached out with one hand.

Carl shook out his mane with a huff, but complied, clomping over and letting Tommy put his hand on the horse’s muzzle. 

Tommy stayed like that for a good while, playing with Carl’s mane and pretending the cold didn’t bother him as much as it did.

Eventually Carl got bored of him, gently nipping at Tommy’s coat before pushing the teen back in the direction of the house with his head.

“Ugh, fine, fine… I’ll go talk to him,” the teen grumbled with crossed arms.

Walking up to the door was almost painful- both because standing in the snow for so long while he was still recovering from his fever was a poor decision on his part, and because he was dreading facing Techno again.

He sucked in a deep breath and moved to open the door.

Techno opened it from the inside before Tommy’s hand even touched the doorknob. “Are you done now?” He asked quietly.

Tommy bit the inside of his mouth and glared at his shoes, “Yeah… Sorry for saying- sorry for getting mad at you,” he forced out.

The creaked open wider and Tommy was pulled into Techno’s house. “Come on, you’ll make your fever worse at this rate.”

Tommy kicked off his soaked shoes and wandered over to the fireplace, basking in the heat of the roaring flames. He felt himself relax a little as the chill was steadily fought off and replaced with the comforting warmth.

He kept one eye on Techno at all times as the man sat down backwards on his chair to look at Tommy.

“So… You wanna talk about all of- uh, _this.”_ Techno gestured vaguely at Tommy.

Tommy sunk into Wilbur’s old coat, pulling up his knees and resting his head on them. “No,” he mumbled.

To Tommy’s complete surprise, Techno didn’t push the subject. Instead, the man shrugged nonchalantly and stood up, “Alright, take your time.”

Tommy’s stomach sank strangely as Techno swung his cloak over his shoulders and reached for the door.

“I’ve got some errands to run, try not to go out into the snow with running shoes again and I’ll be back soo-”

Tommy had a fistful of Techno’s cape, throat tight and restless panic thrumming underneath his skin.

_“Don’t go-_ I don’t want to be alone anymore,” Tommy choked out before he could stop himself, eyes stinging with unshed tears.

Techno paused, hand falling from the door knob and dropping limply at his side.

Tommy couldn’t find it in himself to look up and see the other’s expression, blurry eyes trained on the floor. Oh fuck, he messed this up didn’t he? Was Techno mad at him again?

He probably was, Tommy never should have done this- he was acting all fuckin’ clingy and shit.

Tommy let out a nervous laugh mixed with a slight cough, letting go of Techno’s cape, his head still angled down. “Sorry, I didn’t-”

Arms wrapped around Tommy as Techno pulled the kid into a tight hug. “I don’t hate you, Tommy.”

And that was all it took for the dam to break.

Weeks of holding back tears of frustration, pain, and sorrow hit Tommy all at once.

He clung on to Techno like his life depended on it, sobbing into his brother’s chest.

It was as though several weights were lifted from Tommy’s shoulders at once. Losing the discs, losing L’Manberg, being exiled by Tubbo, losing _Wilbur…_

“I- I felt so _alone._ Techno- Techno, I don’t like being alone,” Tommy hiccupped, eyes scrunched closed as he tried to escape the thoughts and memories still burned into his mind.

Techno didn’t let go, resting his chin on the top of Tommy’s head. “I know... You aren’t alone anymore, I’m with you.”

For the first time in what felt to be ages, Tommy was home again.

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


**Bonus Scene:**

Tommy rubbed at his eyes, sitting up in his cot with a yawn.

He paused, a familiar scent reaching his nose, accompanied by voices he hadn’t heard in far too long. His eyes widened, head turning to the side to make sure his ears weren’t playing tricks on him.

He was greeted by the sight of Techno, Phil, and Wilbur’s ghost. Phil shuffling a pan over the open flame as Wilbur floated was chatting cheerfully with Techno off to the side.

Wilbur’s expression lit up when he caught Tommy’s eye, floating over without hesitation.

_“Tommy!_ Good to see you man, I brought you some blue!” His dead brother cheered, depositing a handful of ‘blue’ into Tommy’s lap.

Tommy stared wordlessly at Wilbur, a feeling similar to a taut string tugging in his chest.

The ghost’s cheerful expression flickered to one of worry, “Techno said you were sick a couple of days ago, are you still unwell?” Wilbur reached out as if to check Tommy’s temperature, though all it succeeded in doing was sending a subtle chill through the teen.

Tommy waved Wilbur off, a grin pulling at his lips. “Nah, ain't no cold gonna mess me up for that long,” he assured his brother flippantly.

“Oh… Then why did your face look like that?” Wilbur tilted his head to the side, entire body following suit until he was nearly upside down.

“Don’t worry about it Ghostbur, I just missed you is all,” Tommy said honestly.

Wilbur’s expression lit up again, “Oh, that’s good! You had me worried there!”

Something on the other side of the room must have caught Wilbur’s attention, because he suddenly began drifting away again with a fascinated hum, still hovering sideways.

Whatever, Tommy turned his attention towards Phil, he had something else to take care of.

He pushed the blue stuff off his lap to the side of the cot and stood up, padding over to Phil and Techno.

“Hey Phil,” Tommy greeted quietly with a last second hint of dread and hesitation.

Phil looked away from what he was doing briefly to glance at Tommy, flashing the teen a kind smile.

“Techno, mind taking over for a bit?” Phil asked, already handing the pan over before he could get a proper response.

Techno didn’t seem to mind either way, taking the pan and immediately focusing on his new task.

Phil pushed himself to his feet, sighing contentedly as he stretched out his arms and legs.

“So, what’s up, mate?” Phil casually bumped his shoulder against Tommy’s and tilted his head slightly to the side.

Tommy fiddled with the hem of his shirt, not looking Phil in the eyes. “It’s about-” he sighed, “It’s about the last time we saw each other,” Tommy started awkwardly.

Phil hummed, but didn’t interject.

“I just thought I should probably apologize and- and say thank you for giving me that compass. I don’t know what I would have done if I didn’t have it.” His mind flashed to all of the times he felt like giving up, like closing his eyes and never opening them again.

Phil pulled Tommy into a side hug, “Aw, of course, mate. I’m always happy to help you.”

“Yeah, yeah, I know… It's because you are an old man. _”_ Tommy grinned cheekily, only to cry out in protest when Phil started messing up his hair.

“I see how it is, act all nice for show and then hit me when I least expect it,” Phil scowled jokingly, airy laughter interrupting some of his words.

Tommy ducked out of Phil’s reach with a loud laugh before sticking his tongue out half-mockingly.

Unexpected movement from near the fire drew Tommy’s attention away from Phil, watching Techno stand up with the pan in hand.

“Breakfast’s done, all non-ghosts grab a plate,” Techno announced.

Tommy practically tripped over himself to get to the cupboard and snatch himself a plate and hurry over to Techno with a watering mouth.

“Hand it over, bitch, I haven’t eaten in _decades,”_ He exaggerated. 

Techno scoffed lightheartedly, “You ate last night” He shook his head as he piled a decent helping of potatoes and thin cut beef onto his plate.

“Yeah? Well I guess you can call me an actor then,” Tommy quipped before picking a spot on the floor to sit down.

Breakfast passed with comfortable conversation and playful ribbing between the small family. All of them taking turns sharing stories and catching up as they ate their food.

“Oh yeah, I nearly forgot to mention this, but I talked to that nice fella Ranboo the other day,” Wilbur mentioned from where he was sitting, just a couple inches off the floor.

Tommy perked up at the mention of the forgetful teen, “What’s up with him?”

“Well, at first I just wanted to write a few words in his journal, but then he got really scared of me for some reason!” Wilbur revealed, pausing for half a second before continuing.

“I thought maybe he was just scared of ghosts- but then he asked if I had ‘been the one messing with his journal’.”

_“Messing with?”_ So when Ranboo said there was no mention of Tommy in his notebook, that was because some _dickhead_ had replaced the shit written in there?

Wilbur drifted over to where a leather satchel was hanging off the coat rack, “Mmhm, he seemed to feel pretty bad about forgetting you, _so-”_ the ghost plucked something out of the satchel, “he asked me to give you this!”

Twirling around and floating back to where Tommy was, Wilbur held out an envelope.

Tommy glanced over at Techno and Phil, who were absorbed in their own conversation, before plucking the envelope out of Wilbur’s pale hands.

When he tore the seal of the envelope open, several different photos and a letter fell out into his lap.

The photos were of various different things, one was a picture of L’Manberg, another was a picture of a massive Christmas tree with Sapnap clinging onto the top, appearing to be mid-panicked-shout when the picture was taken.

And then, a picture at the bottom of the pile had Tommy dead-center, the rest of L’Manberg’s citizens on either side, all of them smiling widely despite various bandaged injuries to be seen. A small picture of Ranboo grinning with an awkward wave was stuck onto the edge of the group photo by a paperclip.

Tommy snorted in amusement at the other teen’s antics despite the longing that came with seeing a picture of all his friends together.

The letter wasn’t much, mostly just an apology and then some rambling about the main continent’s newest happenings.

And then he got to the last bit;

_I’m sure you really miss L’Manberg, I know I would._

_So I’ve devised a plan- probably not a very good or solid plan, but a plan nonetheless!_

_I’ve been trying to talk to a bunch of people, getting on their good sides, you know?_

_Now, I can’t say I’m too sure how this is all going to work- but just know that I’m doing my best to un-exile you._

_I promise you that I won’t give up, but that means you also have to stay fighting wherever it is you’re staying._

_Kindest regards;_

_Your friend (I hope?) Ranboo :]_

“Did you like it?” Wilbur asked, drifting closer and looking at the pictures.

“Yeah, I think I do.”

Tommy finally had an actual hope of getting back to L’Manberg, a man on the inside, if you will. Sure, it’ll probably take a while, but that’s a hell of a lot better than nothing.

And you know what? 

He looked around at his family, a fond smile on his face.

He was perfectly fine with waiting a little longer...

**Author's Note:**

> Let me know if I missed any TW's, I'm not always the best at identifying which things are upsetting and I'd rather not hurt anyone with my hobby.
> 
> AAAAAAAA- I'm back!!!
> 
> And I'm feeling pretty great about finishing this fic. Like- you wouldn't believe the amount of pure joy I got whenever I finished writing this shit in the doc.
> 
> Man. I missed writing so much, but I just couldn't get anything to flow properly for the last few weeks.
> 
> I've definitely learned my lesson though, no more trying to set specific time frames for when to finish things by, it results in writer's block (for me at least)
> 
> If any of you here have read/are curious about my post-ap (no zombies) au series, fret not! I'm still working on that jazzy stuff, just got kicked in the shins by writer's block before I could finish another one in a fashionable time.
> 
> And you know what? At first I felt really bad about not uploading anything- but then I remembered that there are fics that haven't been updated in literal years, a large chunk of those fics unofficially abandoned by the author. So I don't actually feel too bad about it anymore, pog.
> 
> Thanks for reading, I hope you enjoyed and have a lovely rest of your day/night. Feedback is pog but in no way necessary and I appreciate you giving my work a read nonetheless :]


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